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| HMNZS Canterbury (Image: Wiki Commons) |
WELLINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Navy vessels from several countries were anchoring off a quake-stricken New Zealand township Wednesday as the evacuation of stranded tourists and residents stepped up.
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) evacuated around 200 people from the tourist town of Kaikoura Tuesday and helicopter evacuations would resume early Wednesday, with inward flights bringing in supplies, Civil Defence emergency management director Sarah Stuart-Black said Wednesday.
A national relief support effort was continuing today to support people affected by Monday's deadly 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Kaikoura, on the northeast of the South Island.
New Zealand offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Wellington would survey the harbor area at Kaikoura to find a suitable area for supply ship HMNZS Canterbury to begin evacuating people.
New Zealand frigate HMNZS Te Kaha and U.S. Navy destroyer USS Sampson were also en route to provide support, said Stuart-Black.
Tanker ship HMNZS Endeavour was also on its way to Kaikoura.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the support of nations attending the International Naval Review to mark the 75th anniversary of the New Zealand navy this month.
The New Zealand Defence Force had accepted offers of help from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan and Singapore, Brownlee said in a statement late Tuesday.
Read the full story at Xinhua